Improvement in boiler-feeders and return-steam traps



W. H. JENKINS.

BOILER-FEEDER AND RETURN STEAM"-"TRA'P.'

Patented June 6,1876.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. I:v c.-

UNITED STATES PATENT JOFFJIGE.

WILLIAM H. JENKINS, on PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPFIOVEMENT IN BOlLER-FEEDERS AND RETURN-STEAM TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,444, dated June 6, 1876; application filed April 11, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. JENKINS, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Boiler-Feeder and Return-Steam Trap;

and I do hereby declare that the following is.

a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable Others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic boilerfeeders and return-steam traps; and the nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the feeder, with the case broken and the cover removed from the lower steam-chest. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus.

A represents a cast-iron case, made in one piece, having a flange at the top, on which is bolted a bonnet or cover, B, provided with rubber joints,"bolts, &c., to make it steamtight. 0 is a hollow cast-iron column, the opening within it extending its entire length, except the partition which divides or separates the ports L M. It is connected at the top to the case A by a nipple, 4. D is aslidevalve steam-engine cylinder complete, with steam-ports b and f, and exhaust-port 51 slide valve T, steam-chest and pipe Y, and valvestem a, piston G, and piston-rod H. E is a cast-iron case, of sufflcientsize to accommo= date the required size and motion of the slidevalve F. The rod H connects the piston G to the slide-valve F in the usual way, passing through stuffing-boxes from the cylinder to the chest, giving the valve room to accommodate itself to its seat, so as to work steamtight over the ports L M. I is a metal case of any size or proportion that may be found to best suit the purpose, filled with wood or any other light substance, and connected to one end of a lever, 1", the other end of which is connected to the steel stem J. K is a studjournal screwed into the case A from the inside. Through this journal the stem J is a fulcrum for the float or case I and lever 1'.

From this the stem J extends out through theside of the case A, being provided with suitable stufling-box, &c., to make it steam-tight. On the outer end of the stem J-is connected another lever, U, upon which is a weight, R, sufliciently heavy to counterbalance the entire weight of the case I, minus one-half the weight of its displacement, thereby causing the case to act by positive displacement as a float. To the lever U is connected the lower end of the valve-stem n, the upper end being connected to the slide-valve T, which is operated over the exhaust and steam ports 3 and bf, respectively, by therising and falling of the float or case I, so as to introduce the steam alternately above and below the piston G, driving said piston from one end of the cylinder to the other, according to which end of the cylinder D the steam is admitted, thereby operating the main valve F in the case E, covering and uncovering the ports L and M,

as hereinafter explained, thus causing the boiler pressure to be admitted into or exhausted from the case A. P is a check-valve on the water-supply pipe, arranged to permit the water to flow freely into the case A, but

acting as a check to stop any outward flow from said case. 0 is a check-valve, which permits the water to flow fromthe case A into the boiler, but prevents any water flowing from the boiler into the case.

- The steam-pipe X, connected to the steamchest E, is to be extended down into the boiler to the exact height the water is to be carried.

A live-steam pipe is connected to the steamchest Y of the cylinder D, and the case A is erected about thirty inches above the waterlevel in the boiler. A discharge-pipe is then connected from the check-valve O to the boiler below the Waterline, and a water-supply pipe connected to the check-valve P.

If used as a feeder, a pipe is connected to the outlet or exhaust pipe N, and extended to the supply-tank (or out in the air) just below the surface of the water.

When the case A is empty the float or case I will rest on the bottom thereof; and if the steam is turned on, and allowed to enter the steam-chest of the cylinder D, the float, being on the bottom of the case, will cause the levers 1' and U to occupy the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Therefore the upper steamport will be closed to the steam, but open to the exhaust-port, and the lower steam-port f will be open, and admit the steam through the channel-way into the cylinder D and under the piston G, driving it up and holding it there. The main valve F by this action will be drawn up, and, coy-'ering both the ports L and M, will prevent the flow of steam from the pipe X (the steam being opened from the boiler into the chest E) into the column 0 and open a passage under the valve F, so that the pressure within the case A (if there be any) can pass freely out. then opened, and as the water rises in the case .A it will raise the float I with it, at the same time moving the slide-valve T by means of the stem at until the float arrives at the position shown in Fig. 2, when the steam will escape through the exhaust-port y from the bottom of thecylinder D, andmore steam will be admitted through the steam-port 11 into the upper part of the cylinder D and drive the piston down, when the slide-valve F will cover the exhaust-port M, and admit the full boilerpressure into the case A through the port L, column 0, and nipple 4. The case A being higher than the water in the boiler, as soon as the steam becomes the same pressure within the case A as it is within the boiler, the water in said case will begin to flow out of the case A through the check-valve 0 into the boiler, the check-valve P being closed by the pressure as soon as it entered the case. Then, if the water in the boiler has risen up to the end of the pipe X, which is extended to the waterline, the water in the boiler will rise within said pipe to a height corresponding to the- The water-supply is height of the water within the case A, thereby balancing the weight of the water within the case, and stopping the flow of water from the case to the boiler; but as soon as the water with that in the return-pipe, and discharge the steam into water contained in the returnpipe, thus increasing and facilitating the condensation, and causing it to work very rapidly.

By means of the cover or bonnet B the inside parts of the case A can at any time be arranged without trouble.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a feed water heater, the combination of the float andits stem, passing through the casing; the valve rod n and valve T, for admitting steam to the cylinder D; the valverod H and valve F in' a separate steam-chest, for admitting steam to, and exhaustingit from, chamber A, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. H. JENKINS.

Witnesses:

A. (l. SEL'rznR, ROBERT J. ARUNDEL. 

